Process of producing porous crystallized metal plates



(Specimens) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. PAYEN.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING POROUS GRYSTALLIZED METAL PLATES. No. 440,267.Patented Nov. 11, 1890.

WITNEgEES:

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Specimens.)

G. PAYEN. PROGESS 0F PRODUCING POROUS GRYSTALLIZED METAL PLATES.

Patented Nov. 11; 1890.

INVENTEI R:

WITNESS E5:

NITED CLEMENT PAYEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEELECTRIC STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW

JERSEY.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING POROUS CRYSTALLIZED METAL PLATES- SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 440,267, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed July 26, 1887. Serial No. 245,378. (Specimens.)

1T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLEMENT PAYEN, a citizen of the Republic of France,but now residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in the Process of Producing Porous CrystallizedMetal Plates, of which the following is a specification.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a porous crystallizedmetal plate of substantial strength for use as an element of a secondaryor storage battery.

My invention consists in fusing two or more metallic salt-s together,then pouring the mass into a mold and allowing the same to cool andcrystallize therein, and then reducing the structure to a metallic stateand eliminating foreign matter therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings is shown apparatus for the conduct of theseveral steps of the process, in which Figure 1 is a vertical centralsection through a melting-furnace of my improved construc tion with acrucible pivotally supported therein. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of atwo-part mold. Fig. 3 is an end View thereof. Fig. at is a perspectiveview showing the shape and interior formation of the mold, and Figs. 5and 6 are diagrammatic views of electrolytic baths for reducing thecrystallized plates to a metallic state.

Referring to the drawings, A is the furnace, and B the grate in thelower part thereof.

D is the draft-flue leading to the chimneyD.

E is an arch in the upper part of the furnace. F is the crucible orn'lelting-pot, open at the top, and around the circumference thereof isformed a layer (1 of amianthus, asbestus, or other material, and betweenthis layer (1 and the metal pot F is a layer of sand f. The metalcapsule F is pivotally supported within the furnace and actuated by alever f attached to one of the journals of the metalpot F, whereby thecrucible is tilted to discharge its contents into a receptacle forfurther treatment.

H is an inclined hopper with a removable stopper h, and I is a door toallow of the melted mass being discharged into a mold, wherein the fusedmass in cooling assumes a crystallized form.

To obtain acrystallized metal lead plate of six to twelve inches square,(more or less,) I

It may be remarked that a salt or salts of a metal or metals other thanthose mentioned may be added to or combined with the base salt in theproduction of a porous crystallized metal plate having substantialstrength for use as an element of an electric battery.

The above-mentioned mass is brought to a state of fusion in the crucibleF without permitting ebullition or bubbling of the mass to take place,and the crucible is then tilted by means of the lever f and at the sametime the sliding door I is raised to permit of the discharge of the massinto a mold M through the mouth on, when the two sections m and m hingedtogether at hi have been clamped together by means of a lever m securedto a rod m, provided with pawls of, which enwith the rim of the sectionm of the mold. This mold may be constructed of either equal or unequalthicknesses of metal, as desired.

When a fused mass is poured into a twopart mold of equal thicknesses ofmetal, the mass will commence to cool from each side and the crystalscomposing the same will meet or unite with each otherat their summits,sides, 0

or facets, forming columns throughout the mass, and the columns ofcrystals thus formed from the respective sides of the mold meet or uniteat a median line of the plate or other structure. 011 the other hand, ifthe tWo parts ofthe mold are of unequal thicknesses of metal thecrystals of the mass will commence to cool therein from the side havingthe greater thickness of metal, and will meet the mass forming incolumns from the opposite side of the mold beyond a median line of theplate or other structure.

The mass having assumed a solid crystallized form in the mold M andhaving become cool therein after being framed in any preferred manner,may be reduced to a metallic state, as follows: In avase G, containingsulphuric acid and water a series of the crystallized chloride platesare mounted on insulators r held in the grooves of bars 9*, of rubber orother insulating material,provided with vertical bars 4, the system ofcrystallized chloride of lead plates 2, mounted in the vase G, beingalternated with plates 3, of equal dimension, composed of lead,charcoal,or other material provided with lugs or conductors X. Againstone of the edges of the crystallized plates 2 are placed bars of lead orother ma terial, forming conductors. These bars are held to place bymeans ofstrips y of rubber or other material inserted between them andthe vase G. The two systems of plates insulated from each other and thevase G are mounted without play, in order that bulging, warping,

or cracking of the crystallized chloride plates may be obviated, for ifsuch were permitted during the reduction of the plates to a metallicstate their utility for subsequent use would be much impaired. The twosystems of plates 2 and 3 having been mounted in the vase G in anelectrolytic bath in the manner described, the wires at and 5, incontact with the conductors X and W, are connected with the positive andnegative electrodes n and s of the dynamo S. The system of crystallizedchloride plates 2 is connected through the wire 4 with the negativeelectrode 3 of the dynamo S, while the system of lead, charcoal, orother plates 3 is connected through the wire 5 with the positiveelectrode n of the dynamo S, and in the ensuing electrolytic actionwhich takes place the oxygen and chlorine will be liberated and on thesystem of crystallized plates will remain zinc and cadmium, bothmetallic. The now crystallized metal lead plates are then removed fromthe vase G into another vase G, containing a fluid or electrolytic bath.In this second vase G the crystallized plates are again alternated withothers of ordinary lead or charcoal, as in the previous instance. Thetwo systems of plates insulated from each other and the vase G are againconnected through two separate wires 6 and 7 with the positive andnegative electrodes of the dynamo S, as before, with this exception,that the negative electrode is connected with the system of crystallizedmetal plates, as illustrated in Fig. 6. By the second electrolyticaction ensuing the metallic zinc and cadmium are eliminated from thecrystallized plates, thereby leaving them free from impurities and maporous state. The crystallized metal plates thus treated may then beWashed and dried by a gentle heat, whereby they will be brought to achemically-pure condition. Crystallized metal plates obtained in themanner described will have not only substantial strength, but will beexceedingly porous, thereby especially adapting the same for use as theelements of a secondary or storage battery.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of producing a porous crystallized metal plate for use asan element of a sccordary battery, which consists in fusing two or moremetallic salts together, then pouring the mass into a mold and allowingit to crystallize therein, and then reducing the structure to a metallicstate and eliminating foreign matter therefrom. substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. The method of producing a porous crystallized metal plate for use asan element of a secondary battery, which consists in fusing two or moremetallic salts together, then pouring the mass into a mold and allowingit to cool and crystallize therein, and then reduc ing electrolyticallythe structure to a metallic state, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

0. PAYEN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. STOEVER, HENRY Bonn.

